From The Speculum That Shines, Chapter 03.
P77:
Sifrut Ha-Hekhalot- have a common literary heritage
- assumed psuedographic (not historically accurate)
- the mystic passes through the seven heavenly palaces or halls (hekhalot) in order to reach the throne of glory (kisse' ha-kavod) or chariot (merkava)
The texts are orthodox, in no way heretical.
Two types: Ma'aseh Merkava of the rabbis, and Hekhalot literature.
Merkavah mystics vs. rabbis: Authors of hekhalot literature rebel against the traditional concept of the world, expressed through a grandiose literaray effort - the Torah (Schäfer).
Aware of merits of prayer and Torah, but traditional repertoire insufficient for them. No longer satisfied with gaining access to G-d solely through Torah. Wish to storm heaven and gain direct access to G-d.
This was transmitted mainly by lay preachers.
After destruction of 2nd temple, "not content with sublimating their longing for the direct presence of G-d (which their grandparents had experienced) to liturgical worship, Torah study and a pious life. "We seek to experience the heavenly worship directly". Yet, only in the synagogue could they obtain the knowledge that would give shape to their longing, context and purpose. (Halperin, Faces of the Chariot)
P81:
Macroforms - literary units made up of individual tradition-complexes of microforms. Certain motifs do recur.
"Hekhalot literature is not a unity, and cannot be explained uniformly" (Schäfer)
Visionary Ascent - essential role.
Q: Mystical element or magical adjuration primary element?
(Not discussed)
Topic: Determine "core" experience that underlies the tradition-complexes that helped shape distinctive redactional units.
P82:
"Vision of G-d"
Mystical ascent culminated in visionary experience and adjuration of angels.
Connected to magical study of torah without effort.
[Sar Torah - Hekhalot Rabbati; Merkavah Rabbah; Ma'aseh Merkava; Hotam Ha'Merkavah]
Yorde Merkavah: Ascent through the 7 celestial palaces, located in the 7th heaven, culminating in ...
P91:
As above, so below - make it so.
You cannot gaze upon G-d
You may look at the ground, but not at G-d.
{
Two consciousness cannot occupy the same position.
If you look into the eyes of G-d,
It is as if you are looking into your own eyes
and that causes the "trauma".
[Soul-mates: also cannot look into one another's eyes (and meet the other's soul), though it is possible to "know" the soul-mate in the same way that one cannot look at, but yet can know, G-d.]
G-d is not intending to punish us when he says "You may not gaze at me, for you will surely die." He is stating a fact As things are,
- I don't (yet?) have the processing power to gaze upon Him and live.
- To become one with your beloved. Your soul will be drawn into the pluroma, and be extinguished by merging with it, like a moth to a flame.
He waits for us to return to our true path - what I refer to as {the golden thread}, like wayward children
If you were G-d, and you were One, you would not be able to look at yourself except by creating a mirror, and then it is self-reflexive - though you might be able to see yourself in unique ways - but it will still be an image of you, and not really you. This is called the speculum.
In order for me to see myself, I can only see myself through the mirror, the reflections of the people and the things around me. Everyone else is my mirror, a speculum - which is G-d's mirror or your G-d mirror - the reflection of the Divine in us all. When you want to see yourself, look into one of G-d's mirrors.
}